The Hokitika Gaurdian SATURDAY, DEC. 31st, 1921. THE YEAR.

Hokitika Guardian, 31 December 1921, Page 2

The Hokitika Gaurdian SATURDAY, DEC. 31st, 1921. THE YEAR.

The week ends the year 1921. Seven years ago at this date, the nation was at war. To-day it, is peace, time. But though the war has ended over three years ago, pence time has been a perturbed time, and it is only now after a duration of seven years—that the signs of real peace arc manifesting themselves. The dying year is thus a memorable year, for its happenings promise to end some of the tragedies of life, and to free us from anxieties and troubles which have hung heavily over the Empire. We are still suffering from the aftermath of tho Great War. It lias left behind it a nest of trials, troubles and tribulations, but if within and without our gates strife at least ceases, the nation may more securely and contentedly settle down to an adjustment of those disarranging conditions which overshadow it. At the root our difficulties are economic. There is a. lack of finance—a stringency which lias a tightening effect, and which is holding up progress. Foresight and courage will overcome that condition, and i‘ 1922 is the truly peace, year hoped for, all the nations within the Empire should he able within a reasonable period to set their house in order.

Tnis country achieved considerable prosperity during war time, because of the high price realized for its products. Now, markets are glutted, and prices have slumped, but the country is as productive as ever. With patience and sound management tho economic difficulties will he surmounted—and what applies here will be analogous* to the experiences elsewhere. Good Government combined with a responsive people ready and willing to meet their obligations, will annihilate the difficult times ahead. The key to the improved national and international situation, are the events of the past few weeks. Outstanding is the Washington Conference convened by the United States and patronised by all the principal naitons. The Conference opened sensationally by the plea for disarmament and the laying down of guiding principles to govern the action. No less sensational than the promulgation of this decisive policy, was the unanimous ready acceptance of the principles. The occasion because an opening epoch, rendered pregnant with far-reaching possibilities by the ready nequiesence of Great Britain in the proposed scheme.

Tim; work of the Washington Conference lias progressed exceedingly well. Great strides have been made and somo very knotty international questions havo been handled as effectively as the disarmament principles themselves. This is an augury for good results in the end. There seems to be. a broad spirit of tolerance, and that is the most effective salve of all when handling questions of dispute. The spirit or givo .and take, the desire to achieve great

J results for some little sacrifice, tho exJ ercise of common-sense —that is wliat ia happening in this new ora of which 10-1 seems to be a happy beginning. The i u,i r period showed the endurance of ; mankind in great issues, the execution ! of which rocked the world almost to final disaster. Man became a superj man in handling gigantic events, the I creation of bis own brain, tho child of ] his own fashioning. It was a period i when circumstances more great and tragic crowded upon circumstance, and the end no one could see. 1 hen camo the interregium.

\nw t after the pause and the- time for tho rehabilitation of mankind, man again acts sanely as the superman and putting aside all those engines of destruction which his busy mind created in the frenzy of war and war requirements, he returns to his best and bright est* traditions, and seeks to create a reign of peace. The course of events arising out of the Washington conclave will tend to prevent another great war recurring. Never again shall tho world be in arms, and on land and sea and in the air marshal its fighting forces. Tho sea forces are to he reduced to a minimum. The air force turned to commercial uses. The land forces converted into internal defence units. In po.int of fact on land and sea the territories and the: waters are to he policed only. Tho day of the great armada and the army of nrmageddon are gone for ever, and war, as we of this decade have 1 learned to know it, will know it so no more. It is a great achievement of a> high ideal, and has been possible only because of the horrors which the great war itself produced and thereby staggered humanity.

Then within the Empire- we have seen within this month the Irish question brought to a head. Rebellion and guerilla war and rioting within tho borders of Ireland went on without ending, till the King’s advice- caught the popular fancy, and speaking at the right moment seemed to impress nil concerned with the need for action along less bellicose lines. Negotiationwere opened, and then a little while ago flashed tho news across the world that an agreement had been reached. The negotiators came to an agreement to he the basis of a lasting peace treaty, and the terms- are now before the parties. The Irish Question is so distraught that it is not surprising to find that it is not settled off hand. There are Extremists in all tho camps, and they are not dumb dogs. They are expressing their views with a candour which can be appreciated, for it shows exactly how com plex the whole question is. and how difficult it hn& been all along to settle it. What suits one section in Britain, does not suit another, and what is acceptable to one section in Ireland, is denounced by all the other sections.

Tun terms of the agreement provide the acid for the. acceptance of the formula to settle this age long trouble. Although there are dill'erences in Britain, it iis clear that the Commons are ready to ratify the treaty by a majority that will he overwhelming in numbers. Of the-other two parties Ulster protests, but doubtless in the end will he placated with concessions akin to those it is jealous of in the south of Ireland. The- Dail Kireann which represents the rebel portion <>f Ireland, is now divided into two camps on the issue. The. notables who attended tlio I .end, n Conference and agreed to the treaty are standing to their actions. Mr dc Valera leads the Opposition to the treaty, and for tho moment the issue is in the balance. But there is a* split in the Irish party, and from that division may result the healing action the world is waiting for. It is too much to hope for unanimity, hut it is believable that a majority of tho Dail Kireann when it assembles next week will take tile decisive step which will pave the way to settle the long combatted question and give, or at all events, afford the way to peace in Ireland.

A very pleasing aspect of the position is tile patience and consideration with which the British Government persevered to attain the position now in solution. When the draft terms wore made known, the agreement was acclaimed on all sides. All creeds and classes longing and waiting with expectancy for the foreshadowed settlement rejoiced that the end was in view, and it will he a happy eircumlstance indeed if the new year will witness the accomplishment of peace, and Ireland setting about the working out of her destiny in her own way. We have just passed through the Christmas season, and that period is one which has its effect on mankind. If in Ireland as elsewhere within the Empire. Christmas was celebrated and marked in the same spirit, the effect on the settlement of the Irish difficulty should he noticeable as soon as Bail Kireann assembles next week.

Ki'iioi'i'.AN affairs are still unsettled and very indefinite. Germany is unable to meet the reparation claims, and the made of procedure to secure payment lias been the cause of apparently straining Franco-British relations at times. The French press is easily excited where German interests are concerned, and but for the restraining influence of Britain, Franco would have been invading Germany in force. The Entente

however is safely preserved, thanks to i that heaven sent statesman at t the head of the British affairs. With wonderful judgment and patience Mr Lloyd George seems able to meet the ' most delicate oi situations and hnd a pallative to satisfy for the time being. 1 Fram-e and Britain are to be in confer- i dice again, but Germany’s finances are so exhausted that it is difficult to see ( 1 how the situation is to bo met. Hus- j sia is still the enigma- of Europe-. Star- j vat ion is stalking lie land, and the ■ people arc paying a terrible peualty following the introduction of the- new j order of Government. Rigorous disci- j pline and the frequent display ot force j is maintaining a semblance of order, j hut the dislocation of industry and ] trade is, still appalling. ! ItniTAiN has her vexed questions of go- J vernmont in both Egypt and India, j ! where it is believed the unrest created at wartime by paid enemy agitators is still being fostered. If tho * Irish question is solved shortly, there will be something of a basis for action elsewhere, and British statesmen will be able* to devote more attention to the native issues, which in themselves carry complexities understood only by | students of the East. This tact re- i minds us it is not wise to pass hasty judgment on events in the East where ] native prejudices and customs so often control affairs. Even the visit of the Prince of Wales could not break down the barrier of organised opposition in the disaffected parts of India I.lms showing how the mind of the natives are controlled when their passions and prejudices are appealed to h.v the agitator class. In other respects the Prince’s visit passed off very plea--1 singly and the Heir Apparent acquitted himself as becomes his high office. He holds a place in the affections of the people which ensures his great popularity for all time, , In common with other places New Zea- ’ land lias had her financial difficulties and for spine time yet will puss through : a period of stress. The boom times of j the war have been followed by a reaction, which though inevitable and the folk were fully warned, from the Government downward no attempt was made to prepare for the inevitable swing of the pendulum. The unpreparedness of the country may be accounted our own fault, for while All rift and economy were preached ori till sides all neglected to practice either. Now with the drop in value of primary products, coupled with the glut of the Home markets, everything in common i being affected, and the man on tho land who bought or speculated in boom times and is left with his high priced j land or dear stock, is in for a ruinj ous time. Unfortunately those who j were thus caught are fairly numerous

and for a time the readjusting process will go on with disorganising results. The deflation of land values is going to be a serious matter for some time. The Chairman of the Bank of New- Zealand in his recent address specially stressed this.

The farmer who paid a fancy price for his land now finds a difficulty in meeting his interest payments. Abnormal prices paid for land and stock leave many a farmer stranded, and till prices for stock and produce recover, their position will he a difficult one. The situation is reflected throughout the community, for there is a cheek to inflowing capital through the drop in produce. The stringency affects the Government as well as the people, and the country is going to have a difficulty in collecting its taxation. Tuxation is very high and based on wartime values it will be impossible for many of the taxpayers to meet their obligations. Landed companies have had a most difficult time in carrying on their clients, and their position has been much accentuated by the high taxation. Slowly but surely economies are being enforced l>oth publicly and privately. Retrenchment lias now become an absolute necessity and this fact is the most unpleasant outlook for the new year. The Government has to curtail very substantially and private firms are already acting in that direction. It is the inevitable course to avoid a, worse condition.

Tn the midst of this somewhat gloomy outloook as regards the finances of the Dominion, our own district seems to reflect a brighter condition of affairs. While no doubt the prosperity of Westland will lx* affected by the drop in prices for stock and produce the decline will not be so acutely felt. In the first place, our land did not soar in price to the inflated values elsewhere. Then, much of the stock is raised lo-

cally, and there were not many eases of hardship caused by buying stores at high rates and hieing forced to sell fats, at heavy losses. The good price for dairy produce has been generally husbanded by the successful farmer, and the drop now will not he so seriously felt. The collapse of the wool market was felt here of course, hut not to the extent of tho serious dislocation else where. Otherwise, industrially the district has done well. Sawmilling has kept up, despite a bare market for orders, and good wages have been paid out. Dredging operations have played a part in helping the district through the year, and Westland has done well in the matter of public works expenditure. Including the Westland end of the Otira tunnel expenditure, this electorate will show for its population tho highest rate of public works expenditure in the Dominiom.

Duiuno the year material progress has been made ivitli the southern bridges. It is hoped the now year will witness the coinpletinn of all the major bridges on the road to Waiho. It iR confidently asserted that the Otira tunnel will carry through traffic in the new year. This will remove the final harrier to the natural isolation the district has suffered from for over half a century. Railway connection will give a great fillip to trade, industry and settlement. It will open up avenues for commerce at present unthought of. This district has everything to gain by the provision of railway facilities for imports as well as exports. A larger and better market in every sense of the terms will he open to us, and with the means for quicker transit population will increase. Westland will be in touch wi*'a metropolitan centre then not more than six hours away. The change will possess all the magic effects of success. In the long last Westland will comp

into its own, and bo an essential factor in the Dominion’s rogress, is reason to believe that mining will ptospo. greatly in the coming years. Wbut lias been revealed in the neighborhood of this town with regard to dredging possibilities suggests tho undoubted future in store, aa other likely spots no less promising : j than Riinii Flat are taken in hand. The ■ time seems to call for a period of op- ’ ; timism in the Mines Department. A j spirited Minister of Mines is required j jto take up the gold mining interests ] and promote their welfare. With land | and farming prospects in the doldrums, j i sumei.hing else is required, to give | reviving prosperity to New Zealand and there is nothing better calculated to j ‘ work a quick change than a. gold rush. A Minister of Mines with a roalisa- " I tion of the present opportunity and the ’ ! courage to seize the opening could win undying renown by doing the right thing in the right way at this juncture. 0 A golden future promises if a live minC ing policy is shaped to meet the needs of the occasion.

To the future we may look with great hopefulness. We have seen liow tho world proposes to regenerate itself in the. new era about- to he brought in. | We are conscious of the native wealth jof our own Dominion. We are hope'T'ul of n good, solid year for West- ! land. There is every reason to he I hopeful. We should take courage from 'the promising times, and endeavour to j realise as quickly as possible, the desj tiny which can lie attained by earnest | endeavour. For 1921 and its liappenI mgs we may have much thankfulness. { It is u period wherein was laid the i foundation for great happenings in tho coining year and afterwards. There is the need for all of genuine service, of helpful endeavor to rebuild the broken fortunes, so that hopes and expectations which were shattered by the war, will be Wrought together again, and reunited will build anew tlie world about us, making it better and brighter for all concerned. That realised, and the coming year will be all we wish our renders to-day, A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR !